You might be wondering “why bother?” with such a minimalist pad since there is so little of it between you and the ground. Well, if you like a firm bed and need very little cushioning, then the Gossamer might be just the ticket.

I remember my first year as a lightweight backpacker when I absolutely eliminated every single fraction of an ounce. I would have bought it in a heartbeat.

For a Few Ounces More

Today, I allow a few more ounces for comfort on certain items. Personally, the Bozeman Mountain Works TorsoLite, a 32-inch long, 1-inch thick self inflater, at 10 ounces, sounds like a more reasonable choice. The TorsoLite rolls into a 4-inch by 9-inch cylinder, which is approximately the size of a 20-ounce soda bottle.